Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-07-21
THE WIZARD OF THE NORTH.
The Story of Anderson's Wonderful Trick
with a Bank Of England Note.


The Story of Anderson's Wonderful Trick
with a Bank Of England Note.
Talking of prestidigitateurs - said a
Travelled citizen, ''do you remember An
derson, the Wizard Of the North he
called HIMSELF / remember years ago he
closed his engagement in London at Co
ven Garden theatre, by giving a mas
querade ball, and while the masqueraders
were in the midst Of their revels the the
atre took fire and was burned to the
ground. the masqueraders escaping
through the windows, and barely saving
their lives. He was called by many the
incarnation of the Evil One from the
marvellous tricks he performed.
Zone in particular / will mention. He
asked il any one in the audience would
lend him a Bank of England note, and an
old, dilapitated f5 note, backed with nine
signatures, was handed to him, the own
er having Just taken a note Of the date
and number of the note, and the sigma
lures, some of which were well known to
the holder of the note. Prof. Anderson
took the note and held it apparently in
the flame of a candle until it was con-
sumed, coolly remarking to the gentleman
who handed it to him, Il am sorry for
your note The audience, of course,
enjoyed the joke immensely, but after
performing a few other tricks, he sud-
denly turned to the loaner of the note
and said:
".Where would you like to have your
note from, this lemon or this loaf of
bread?'
"The lemon was chosen, whereupon
the wizard severed the lemon in the GEN.
ter and drew out a new, crisp Bank of
England note of the same denomination
and handed it to the gentleman. Know
ing the one he handed to the wizard was
old, dirty and with worn edges, a care
full scrutiny was at nee made. The date
and number we're found to correspond
and the Endorsements on the back were
intact.
..The wizard inquired: Is that the note
you gave me, sir?' and on receiving the
reply, 1t appears to be, but the one !
gave you was IN old note, but this is a
new one coolly replied: 1t has gone
through a cleaning process Not feeling
satisfied, the owner of the note the next
day showed it to the person he received
it from, and whose signature it bore, and
said: Is that your signature?'
"'Yes,' he said, but that is not the
note l gave you; l gave you an old one.'
'On the circumstances being explained
the two went to the Bank Of England
and presented it for payment. The pay
ing teller examined it carefully and paid
it and was then asked, Is that not a good
one?'
"He again examined it critically, and
said, Yes, but it is remarkably clean and
new for a note bearing that date. Why
do you askT
''He was then told what had occurred,
and invited the persons into the directors
room, where the details were given to q
director. A member of the firm of Fair,
childs, counsel of the Bank Of England,
was summoned, and in his presence and
that Of a detective the circumstance
were again related. The note was pro.
nounced to be a good one, and the secret
possessed by the wizard "a most danger.
Gus one for the bank. II was arranged
that a note which was privately marked
and bore signatures especially put there
should be presented to the wizard the
next night by the same person who gave
him the mystery as it was called, the
detective to sit by him and witness the
operation. The note sent was an old
f100 bank post bill. The wizard took it,
heated it in the same name as he did
the So note and with the same result,
but how he did it no one could find out
Inter Ocean.